At what point does a city’s sense of fun migrate from the citizens to the decision and policy makers? A few different friends sent along this image of a bus stop in Montreal that has incorporated swings into its design. Even if you knew very little about Montreal, this one single image tells you so much about the city. Any city that actually dreams up an idea like this, and then goes about implementing the idea… that’s pretty amazing. I wonder if this idea came from the top down, or the bottom up?
If you think that the bus stop swing sets are cool, then check out the video below that shows a musical swing set installation (also in Montreal). Just listen to the reactions of the people as they interact with the swings and each other. To think that Montreal is creating places in its neighborhoods where the idea is simply to have fun… it’s all about rethinking what is important, and sometimes putting a smile on the faces of visitors and residents is a key ingredient for a vibrant and creative city.
Not to say that we need to have swings everywhere, it’s just that as we rebuild our neighborhoods, there’s no reason that we should leave out the fun. These types of interactive projects give cities added color and work wonders for international recognition. Is there such a thing as a city’s “smile factor”?